Introducing IDDT – the InDependent Diabetes Trust

Introducing IDDT

We are an organisation for people living with diabetes run by people living with diabetes. We recognise that when one person in a family lives with diabetes, this affects other family members and we offer support to partners and parents. We raise awareness of important issues for people with diabetes and provide information in non-medical language. Read more…

A charity based in the UK listening to people with diabetes and their carers and supporting their needs. The Trust is run entirely by voluntary donations and we do not accept funding from the pharmaceutical industry in order to remain uninfluenced and independent.

The Insulin Dependent Diabetes Trust (IDDT) is a registered charity and was formed in 1994. We are concerned with listening to the needs of people who live with diabetes, understanding those needs and doing our utmost to offer help and support. We not only want to help those who actually have diabetes but also their carers – the husbands, wives, partners and parents, indeed, all of us who ‘live with diabetes’. We recognise that when one person in a family has diabetes, all other family members are affected to a greater or lesser extent and they all have views and needs which may be different from the person with diabetes, but nevertheless are important.

The Trust was set up to look at some of the day to day difficulties of living with diabetes, the worries, fears and concerns that perhaps we don’t talk about at the hospital clinic- the ones that many of us experience and understand because we actually live with diabetes. As a charity, IDDT has a Board of Trustees and all our Trustees either have diabetes or have family members with diabetes. So we all know first hand that while diabetes doesn’t rule our lives, it is an important part of them. It needs care and attention, it can be a nuisance and it is not without it’s problems!

Latest News

Roche Diabetes Care have asked for a recall on certain batches of its Accu-Chek Aviva and Performa test strips. The affected batches could result in readings that are either too high or tool low which in turn, can lead to treatment errors.

Ramadan 2018

Ramadan is based on the ninth month of the lunar calendar, so this year that the fast of Ramadan 2018 will start on May 15th and will continue for 30 days until Sunday, the 14th of June. During this month it is expected that Muslims who participate will abstain from food, water, beverages, smoking, oral drugs and sexual intercourse from sunrise to sunset.

FreeStyle Libre not available to new customers

We have had reports from people trying to purchase the FreeStyle Libre and the sensors from the manufacturers, Abbott Laboratories that there is a delay in supply. It appears that there is a 3-week delay in supply and a restriction of 2 sensors per order. This is said to be due to high demand, so hopefully it will be a temporary situation.

Update: 5th April

FreeStyle Libre not available to new customers

Abbott, the manufacturer of the FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring system has announced that they are not taking online orders from new customers until July 2018, due to unexpected demand. Therefore, people wishing to order the FreeStyle Libre for the first time will have to wait until July.

Abbott has also said that existing customers will be limited to ordering two sensors every 25 days. One sensor lasts 2 weeks.

Limiting the number of sensors does not apply to people who are obtaining the FreeStyle Libre free on an NHS prescription.

Diabetes doubles over 20 years

“The number of adults and older teens with diabetes in the UK has more than doubled over the past 20 years, with 3.7 million people aged 17 or older now known to be living with the disease, campaigners say.”

Freestyle Libre available on the NHS!

On September 13th it was announced that the Freestyle Libre by Abbott will be available on the NHS from November 1st 2017 for people with Type 1 diabetes. This is a device which checks blood glucose levels by scanning a sensor worn on the back of the arm without having to prick the fingers, so non-invasively. Globally there are over 300,000 users and it is available in more than 35 countries. It is referred to as a flash glucose sensing device and is currently the only one in existence.

Regular IRN-BRU is reducing its sugar content

50% less sugar

From January 2018 IRN-BRU will contain approximately 50% less sugar. The sugar content per 100ml will reduce from 10.3g to 4.7g. For a time old and new products may be on the shelf together so remember to check the label.

People with diabetes should be aware of the carbohydrate content change and should seek medical advice.

March’s Newsletter and Type 2 & You

Now Available:

neuropad®

neuropad® is a patented 10-minute screening test for the early detection of diabetic foot syndrome; a condition which can lead to serious complications such as foot ulceration and even amputation. The test is completely painless. Think of the test as an early warning system for your feet.

Animal insulins continue to be available – statement from Wockhardt UK

IDDT formed to maintain supplies of animal insulins, not only so that this choice of natural insulin remains available for everyone, but especially for the people who have adverse reactions to the synthetic human and/or analogue insulins. We never forget that this need still exists and we know that many animal insulin users worry about the continued availability of the animal insulin they need. Many are often wrongly told that animal insulins are no longer available.

Position Statement – ‘pre-diabetes’

The term ‘pre-diabetes’ has crept into our language and there is debate about its use. People who are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes are now being classed as having ‘pre-diabetes’ or ‘borderline diabetes’.

Diabetes-friendly socks

IDDT now sell diabetes-friendly socks in our online shop. Our Comfort Socks have been developed for use by people with diabetes, vascular disorders and other circulatory problems. Our Fuller Fitting Longer Sock is for people who find it difficult to wear ordinary socks. These are made with a large circumference top and are suitable for people who may be suffering from oedema (swollen legs), for example.

The Comfort Socks retail at £8 and the Fuller Fitting at £12 per pair including p&p. To order your socks, please visit our online shop, or phone IDDT on 01604 622837.

Driven to Despair

This is the title of a report issued by the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman on October 20th 2016 and the title page describes it as ‘How drivers have been let down by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’.

Solesee

It is essential that people with diabetes look after their feet properly to avoid ulcers as these can lead to amputations. Prevention of foot problems is very important, therefore your feet should be inspected every day, in addition to daily washing and moisturising. It is not always easy to inspect the soles of your feet but nevertheless, it is important especially for people who have neuropathy with loss of sensation, so they don’t feel pain if an injury occurs.

VibraTip®

Knowing that nerves in your feet are damaged is vitally important – because this puts your feet at a higher risk of injury and requires you to be much more meticulous in your footcare.

Prof. Andrew Levy, at Bristol University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, has invented a clever tool that helps to quickly and easily identify an early sign of a problem with the feet – the inability of the nerves to distinguish between a touch and a vibration – the VibraTip®, a small battery operated device, emits a calibrated vibration when squeezed. Only the operator knows when the VibraTip® is active because the device runs silently. If the patient cannot distinguish between a touch with vibration and a touch without vibration at the end of the big toe, nerve damage is suspected and further tests and advice are needed. Click here to read more

The simplicity of the test also allows a family member or friend to check patients’ feet at home, looking for those early signs of any loss in protective nerve function.

A VibraTip® costs only £14.30 and can be ordered from the IDDT Shop or by phoning IDDT on 01604 622837. Each device is individually blister-packed and can be used thousands of times before it needs replacing.

IDDT Shop Now Open!

Be aware of high strength insulins

Several new insulins have come to the market recently; three high strength insulins which have concentrations greater than the previously standard strength of U100 and biosimilar insulin.

The Trustees of IDDT have discussed the introduction of different strengths of insulin in depth and strongly expressed their concerns about the risks of errors by people with diabetes, health professionals and hospitals. These concerns come from their experiences of the introduction of the first genetically modified human insulin in the 1980s when there was a dearth of evidence of benefit and many people with diabetes were not informed of the differences from their previous natural animal insulin.

Warning – review of three Type 2 drugs

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has started a review of canagliflozin, dapagliflozin and empagliflozin, which are diabetes medicines known as SGLT2 inhibitors. This was requested by the European Commission following several reports of diabetic ketoacidosis in patients on SGLT2 inhibitor treatment for Type 2 diabetes. EMA will now review all available data on the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) with SGLT2 inhibitors and consider whether any changes are needed in the way these medicines are used in the EU.

Diabetes – Parents Passport For Schools

The InDependent Diabetes Trust [IDDT] is all too aware of the difficulties that children with diabetes and their parents face in everyday life when managing the condition. One area that proves particularly problematic is managing the condition at school. With this in mind, IDDT has produced a new, FREE booklet, the Parents Passport for Schools.